The Turkish government has publicly acknowledged its dependence on Russia for uranium fuel at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, an admission that reflects both growing discomfort in Ankara and a wider effort to rebalance relations toward the West.
Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told parliament’s budget committee on November 7 that Turkey relies entirely on Russia’s state-owned Rosatom for the uranium that will power its first nuclear plant. His remarks marked the first official recognition that Moscow, already Turkey’s main natural gas supplier, also controls the country’s nuclear fuel chain.
“Will there be uranium dependence? Yes,” Bayraktar said. “To overcome this dependence, we are talking about fuel cooperation both with the country we are currently working with and with others we are discussing new projects with.”
The minister’s comment confirmed what energy specialists have warned for years: that Turkey’s $20 billion Akkuyu project, built and operated by Russia under a 2010 agreement, has created a new form of strategic dependence.
Under the contract, Rosatom finances, owns and runs the plant while its subsidiary TVEL provides all uranium fuel. The arrangement makes it nearly impossible for Turkey to purchase or use uranium from any other source without Moscow’s approval.
Until recently, Turkish officials had avoided describing this as a vulnerability. But the shift in tone reflects a changing foreign policy climate. Ankara has been trying to rebuild ties with the United States and European allies after years of tension, and energy diversification has become part of that broader political recalibration.
Bayraktar’s remarks came just weeks after Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding with Washington on civilian nuclear cooperation. The deal opens the way for American and South Korean participation in Turkey’s planned second nuclear power plant in the northern city of Sinop, replacing an earlier plan to give the project to Rosatom.
Officials describe the new partnership as a sign that Turkey wants to avoid repeating the Akkuyu model where Russia maintains full ownership and operational control. The energy minister said the goal for the next projects is “access to technology, competitive costs and the direct involvement of Turkish companies.”
The statement also signals how Ankara’s experience with Russia has influenced its view of long-term energy security. When the Akkuyu agreement was signed 15 years ago, the deal was celebrated as a breakthrough that would give Turkey nuclear power for the first time. The plant’s four reactors, located on the Mediterranean coast, are designed to supply up to 10 percent of Turkey’s electricity once fully operational.
Yet the dependence on Russian fuel and engineering has grown deeper than many expected. Western sanctions after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine have complicated financial transfers for the project, delayed some Russian payments and forced Ankara to consider alternative funding. Still, the uranium contract remains untouched, and Rosatom’s TVEL is the only approved supplier.
During his presentation Bayraktar sought to justify the arrangement by highlighting the potential savings in natural gas imports. He said that when Akkuyu starts producing electricity, it will allow Turkey to save up to 7 billion cubic meters of natural gas each year. “This will reduce our import bill and support our climate goals,” he said.
The minister’s calculation, however, also shows the paradox at the heart of Turkey’s energy strategy. While the country expects to save money by importing less gas from Russia, it will simultaneously import uranium from the same country to keep the reactors running. Energy analysts have long warned that such dependence shifts rather than solves the problem.
Source: Nordic Monitor
